Hair trimmer



N. SHAEFFER HAIR TRIMMER April 28, 1953 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 8, 1949 Q nnnnnnn #025627 SHHEFFEE,

INVENTOR.

' HTTOQfi/Ey N. SHAEFFER HAIR TRIMMER April 28, 1953 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1949 #023527 SHREFFEE,

INVENTOR. BY 6 HTTOENEVS Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITE STATES PATENT HAIR TRIMMER Norbert Shaeffer; Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Cutter Corporation, a

corporation of Delaware Application January 8, 1949, Serial No. 69,885

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a hair cutting comb of the general type disclosed inthe copending application of Roy P. M. Davis entitled Hair Cutting Comb, filed August 19, 1946, Serial No. 691,448, now Patent No. 2,519,954, issued August 22, 1950. Combs of this type employ a movable sharpened blade in connection with the teeth on the comb so that hair may be out or trimmed or shaved as desired.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a novel form of drive means for moving the sharpened blade relative to the teeth of the comb. The drive means employed in commercially available hair trimming combs is similar in many respects to the drive means shown in the Davis application referred to. Such drive means employs a rack formed on the blade carrier which merges with a pinion gear carried on the stationary portion of the comb structure. The pi--- ion gear is turned by means of an adjusting knob to change the position of the sharpened blade with respect to the teeth of the comb. A disadvantage of drive means of this type is that the drive is reversible, that is, not only can the gear drive the rack but the rack can turn the gear. The blade carrier is therefore not locked in place by the drive means but may shift slightly while in use to vary theadjusted position of the sharpened blade.

In accordance with the present invention I provide a nonreversible drive for moving the blade carrier relative to the comb teeth so that the carrier and blade are automatically locked in adjusted position. Stresses imposed on the blade or carrier during use do not change the position of the blade with respect to the comb teeth because the drive for moving the carrier is of nonreversing character. I prefer to employ a worm gear, screw and, nut, cam and follower or other form of nonreversible drive.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a novel form of blade carrier guided for movement on the body of a toothed comb.

Another object is to provide a novel form of rotary member for varying the position of the blade carrier with respect to the comb body.

Other and more detailed objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a preferred embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view partly broken away to show details of construction.

Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which a conventional safety razor blade is attached to the carrier.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the lines 4-4 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the lines 5-5 as shown in Figure 1. A

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the lines 6-6 as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on the lines 1-! as shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, the comb body generally designated 10 is provided with a first series of relatively long teeth II and a second series of double teeth l2. The teeth in the second series l2 are separated by relatively long slots 13. The back It of the comb lies adjacent the double teeth [2 while a third series of trimmer teeth I5 is provided on the comb body opposite the series 12. The comb body It is provided with a platform or sliding surface It intermediate the end I! and the transverse groove [8. A sharpened blade I9 is adapted to rest on this sliding surface it. This blade I9 may be of the conventional safety razor type if desired. The blade I9 is attached to a carrier 20 having a lower fiat surface 21 adapted to contact the upper surface of the blade 19. A pair of protuberances 22 extend downwardly from the flat surface 21 to engage within the noncircular openings 23 provided in the blade IS. The protuberances 22 are proportioned so that they extend through the blade I9 and are resiliently held by the portions of the blade adjacent the recesses 23 so that the blade i9 is attached to and moves with the carrier 20. A pair of shallow troughs 24 is provided in the sliding surface It on the comb body to provide clearance for the protuberances 22.

A transverse rib 25 extends along one side of the carrier and is adapted to travel in the transverse slot 18 formed in the comb body. On the same end of the carrier and adjacent the rib 25 is an outwardly projecting follower lug or tooth 26. A worm gear or rotary cam element 2'? is provided with a helical groove 28 which receives the follower 26 in cooperative relationship.

vThe rotary element 21 may be provided with trunnions 21a at its opposite ends which are received within bearing recesses provided in the comb body in and in the cap member 255. This cap member 29 is provided with a lip 36 which overlies a portion of the carrier 20 at one end to prevent disassembly from the comb body It.

A lip 31 adjacent the end 11 of the comb body also overlies a portion of the carrier 20. The cap 29 is secured to the body It by any convenient means, and as shown in the drawings this may include a plurality of dowel pins 32 formed on the member Iii and extending into cooperating recesses 33 provided in the cap 29. The dowels 52 fit tightly within the recesses 33 to prevent accidental disassembly of the parts. An opening 3 1 is formed through the comb body Hi and through the cap 29 and the rotary element 2! is free to turn within this opening.

When the rotary element is turned about the axis of its trunnions 21a the follower or tooth 26 is caused to travel in the helical groove 23, thereby moving the carrier 20 relative to the comb .3 body It. The carrieris guided formovement by means of the inter-engaging rib 25 and slot I 8 and therefore moves in a direction parallel to the axis of the trunnions. The sharpened blade 19 -is fixed relative to the carrier 20 so that its position may readily be adjusted by turning the rotary element 21. An indicator 315 :may beprovide'd=on the carrier 20 which cooperates with a reference mark 36 on the cap 29 to provide=a visual indication of the adjusted position of the sharpened blade IS. The position of the blade may' also be visually determined by noting the position of the sharpened edge of the-blade with reference tothe trimmer teeth l5. When it is desired to change blades or to reverse the blade to use the other edge, the rotary'element 21 1s turned to .the. position shown in Figure 2. This action disengages the follower or tooth from the helicalfgroove so that the carriermay bewithdrawnlaterally. The

position of the sharpened blade may ithen be reversed to present a new cutting edge in 1a new blade may be installed on thebarrier. The carrier is repositioned on the comb body with the tooth or follower 26 received within the helical groove 28.

It will be noted by reference toFiguresrl and that the sharpened blade 19 isadapted forcutting action adjacent the trimmer teeth 15 and also projects downwardly for cooperative cutting action with the teeth 12. In the position shown in Figure 6 the sharpened blade f9 overlies'a'portion of the circular recesses?! at the i'rmer'end of each of the long'slots l3. :Bothisharpened edges ofthe bladearethereforeavailable for use.

The term nonreversing as used in -this specification andin the claims is intended :to mean'a drive in which the driven member is-inc'apable of becoming a driving "member, and vice-Versa. More specifically, the term is intended to mean that the rotary-element 2'l cannot be driven :by

the follower lug-ortooth"2l5,'-butit is not intended to infer by the-use "of the term ""nonreversing that the rotary element can be rotated in one direction only.

Having fully describedmy invention it is to be understood that I do not --Wishto be-limite'd'to'the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a'hair trimming device, the combinatio of a comb bodyya carrier' 'for'asharpenedbl-ade;

means for mounting the carrier for sliding movement relative to the'comb body, "said -me'ans=i1 1- eluding an apertured cap secured to the comb body and having a lip 'overlyinga "portion of the carrier; and nonreversible drive 'm'eansior-moving the carrier on the comb body, said drive mea s including a wormxgear mounted for rotarymovement on the comb body and extendingthrough the apertured cap, and an element fixed to the carrier meshing with the-worm *gear.

2. In a hair trimming'devica'the combination of a comb member; a carrier member adapted to carry a sharpened bladeg'mean's for mcuntingthe carrier member for sliding movement-relative to the comb member, said means including axially spaced parallel lipsonth'ecomb member-defining parallel transverse channels, the extreme-ends of the carrier member being guided in said channels; and nonreversible drive means for moving the carrier member'on the-comb member, said drive means including a worm gear mounted-for rotary movement onorie member and'meshing with a lug element 'fixed to the other member.

3. In a hair trimming device, thecombinatio'n 4 of a comb member having axially spaced parallel lips defining parallel transverse channels; a carrier for a sharpened blade, the carrier being mounted for sliding movement relative to the comb member and having its extreme ends guided in said channels, the carrier being provided with -a follower; a rotary element having a helical groove to receive the follower in said helical groove; and means supporting the rotary element on the comb member for turning movement about an-axis parallel to the direction of movement of the carrier.

".4. :In :a hair" trimmingdevice, the combination of la comb member; :a carrier for a sharpened blade; means for mounting the carrier for movement-relativeito thecomb member; 'nonreversible drive meansior Imoving the-carrier on the comb member, said drive'means including a rotary element provided withraxial .trunnions; a cap fixed on the comb member and cooperating therewith to provide bearings for said trunnions, theoap and comb :member having aligned openings to receive the rotary "element; :and a follower element fixed to 'the carrier and cooperating with the rotary element to movethe carrier when the rotary elementis turned.

5. In a hairttrimming 1 device, the combination of: a comb body having aitransversely extending lip adjacent one en'd de'fining'a transverse channel, the bodyhaving a transverse:groove axially spaced from said channel, a carrierfor a sharpened :blade mounted :forsliding :movement relativeto the comb body, the carrier havinga rib slidably received Within said groove and. having an extremeend remote from said rib guided for 'sliding movement within said channel, an' axially projecting follower on -the carrier adjacent said rib, a rotary element having "a "groove extending *axially and circumferentially --to receive said follower, the "rotary element being provided with axial trunnions, a cap fixed on the comb body and cooperating therewith 'to provide bearingsfor said trunnion's, the capen'd comb 'body' having aligned openings 'to receive the rotary element, and the 'cap having-a'lip overlying a portion of the carrier adj acent said rib.

6. A hair cuttin'g device for use with a blade comprising "in combination: a comb member, a blade positioning member for holding a cutting edge of 'theblade in operating position with respect to the comb member, one of said members having a transversely extending channel positioned a'djacent one end o'fthe positioned blade, a'driving-mechanism mounted on said channeled member, and'a'fc'fllowing meanspositioned on the othermember and extending into said channel adjacentsaid one end of the positioned blade, whereby the'driving mechanism may move the following-means in the channel-causing a transverse movement between the -members.

NORBERT SHAEFFER.

:References Giteddn ithetfileof this patent UNITED "STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 23,505 Davis May 27, 1952 1,224,462 Harris May'1, 1917 1,461,168 Watt July 10,1923 1,789,234 Keenan Jan.13, 1931 2,134,839 .Perkins a. Nov. 1, 1938 FOREIGN I'PATENTS Number Country Date -543,78 l France June 9,1922 

